X-19 Class Neuroi
The X-19 Class Neuroi is a Neuroi unit that was encountered by the 501st Joint Fighter Wing flying withing close areal proximity bear Romagna's iron bridge. It was confronted by the 501st who were tasked with it's destruction. While team work by the 501st was instrumental in the operation; the finishing blow made against the X-19 was at the hands of Perrine H. Clostermann, who had an emotional investment in destroying the X-19. Background The X-19 was confronted by the 501st JFW when it was on a flight path that put it into the vicinity of Romanga's iron bride. Miyafuji Yoshika, Perrine Clostermann and Lynette Bishop initiated first contact engagement with the X-19. Sergeant Miyafuji managed to get ahead of formation and attack the X-19 with speed and altitude climbing rates greater than what she was normally able to achieve before thanks to the use of her new Striker Unit; the J7W1 Shinden. Perrine, impressed with Miyafuji's better combat capabilities; moved to support her and provided additional attack against the X-19. Lynette was able to provide air infantry sniper support for both Miyafuji and Perrine; the round fired from her Boy's Mk 1 anti-armor rifle, causing significant damage and making a large hole to the X-19's right wing. However, before Lynette could have a chance to follow up another shot from her anti-armor rifle: the X-19 was able to quickly repair it's damage and charge up a beam attack to return fire at range. Lynette was able to dodge the attack, but do to her flight position while providing sniper support: the attack intended for her instead hit the iron bridge behind her: causing serious looking but structurally superficial damage to the top of the bridges superstructure. At seeing the damage to the bridge caused by the X-19's attack, Perrine was horrified and enraged due to remembering earlier events during the Gallian reconstruction effort of her hometown and how a little girl was upset that her friends couldn't visit her because the stone bridge leading into town was damaged and unable to allow people to cross over the water safely. It was due to these compounding factors on Perrine and her mind, that when Sakamoto Mio gave orders that the 501st to maintain formation, Perrine uncharacteristically disregarded these instructions and broke rank to personally engage the X-19 to gain retribution for the X-19 attack against the Iron Bridge. Even Sergeant Miyafuji could tell that Perrine was exceptionally angry with the X-19, seeing the Gallian witch shooting excessively on the X-19 and causing some further damage to the Neuroi. As a result of Perrine's push; the 501st quickly followed suit; engaging in well coordinated unit attack against the X-19 and eventually exposing it's core, which Major Sakamoto was able to spot and identify with her magic eye. At the X-19's core being exposed and identified, Perrine made her final attack from above; firing a long burst of her Bren Gun, the rounds of her weapon stitching up the Neuroi's body until they hit and destroyed the Core; ensuring the X-19's total destruction. Weapons The X-19's weapon armament consists of a few varied beam weapons. The first and more noticeable is a large ground attack beam port on the belly of the X-19's fuselage body. Beam attacks fired from this beam port are charged up to allow a building of powerful energy for heavy hitting attacks, and of the X-19's stronger than average beam attacks; this is likely the strongest weapon. The second beam port weapon system of the X-19 is a pair of beam ports on a set of wing mounted pods; these beams seem to be a sort of medium beam weapons intended to direct frontal attacks at range. The beams fired from these ports appear to be fired instantaneously without charging and can be controlled and maintained to a degree; with the beams fired from these ports even moving in a circular motion. The third beam port weapon system of the X-19 are a set of smaller, tactically positioned beam ports on the X-19's front fuselage nose, a beam port on each flank of it's frontal body, two beam ports on either wing of the X-19 and a beam port on it's tail. These beam ports appear to be simple self defense ports to fire a strong, but comparatively smaller caliber beam attack. Abilities,Tactics and Behavior The abilities of note implemented by the X-19 is a preference to heavy hitting, long range attacks while moving at a brisk but stable flight speed. It prefers to also engage at high altitudes as much as possible, and seems to try to avoid low altitude engagement. It appears to also face some difficulty in engaging in close range dog fights, even with the protection and use of it's lower caliber, self defense beam attacks. Also given the power and function of it's ground attack beam weapons: the X-19 shows as being a strong contender as a Heavy Ground Attack air unit. Even with missing Lynette due to her dodging the attack: it was still able to hit the Bridge behind her with surprisingly exceptional accuracy, even if it struck the bridge causing only superficial damage. Of interesting note is that the unit is noted as having an Increased Regeneration Ability compared to other Neuroi, it's improved regeneration speed is noted to mitigate damage taken from long range. Observation while the unit is in battle against the 501st does show a somewhat better than average regeneration speed, making the X-19 a more than fair challenge in destroying. It is noted however that it can't seem to attack and regenerate at the same time though; it seems to must belay attacks in order to repair significant damage before resuming it's attacks. The X-19 also appears to be of commendably fast flight speed for it's size, being able to fly and maintain a brisk airspeed, although it is not remotely as fast as more dedicated high speed Neuroi units. It also doesn't appear to engage in much of the way of aerobatic flying maneuvers; in this regard it's maneuvers are likely few and simple. The X-19's overall tactics are simple, but it's behavior belies a level of subtle nuance of intelligence to the unit. The X-19 Classes preferred style of fighting at range and at high altitude allow it to keep it's distance from enemies and to strike at targets from afar with heavy power. It maintains it's speed and heading staunchly while it seems to only make marginal deviations from target unless it has to. It's observed that the X-19 does prioritize key or more dangerous targets that are a threat to it. For when an enemy gets too close to the X-19; it tries to make as much attacks as it can to units that get into close proximity of it, forcing attackers at a more comfortable distance. Hard hitting long range attacks against it, and numbers of belligerents in force and numbers are also prioritized; with the X-19 trying to engage in either initial long range attack or long range counter fire in an attempt to eliminate dangerous threats that are either closing the distance in force or that can match it's own long range attacks; the latter example as seen when Lynne was able to shoot a massive hole into its right wing. If the X-19 does sustain heavy damage; it seeks to prioritize repairing that damage first before resuming it's attacks and counter attacks. Appearances * Strike Witches Season 2. Trivia * As outlined in the Strike Witches II Official Fanbook: the X-19's model of inspiration is based off of the Lockheed U-2 "Dragon Lady" recon plane. * While the X-19 does have a better than average level of Regeneration Ability; it seems that it's level of damage regeneration is far lower than that of the X-18 Class Neuroi, with the regeneration of the X-18 Class being near instantaneous. The X-19's regeneration speed, while impressive, is comparably far slower. Gallery X-19 Official Fanbook Info and Concept Art.png|X-19 Class Official Fanbook II Information and Concept Sketches X-19 and 501st make Contact.png X-19 inital attack against 501st.png X-19 in flight.png X-19 attacking 501st.png X-19 against Yoshika.png X-19 attacked by Yoshika.png|Yoshika attacking X-19 Class X-19 flying while in combat.png X-19 in Lynnette's sights.png X-19 attacked by Yoshika and Perrine.png X-19 sniped by Lynne.png X-19 wounded by Lynne's Sniper shot.png X-19 Charges Beam attack.png X-19 fires beam at Lynne.png X-19 attacked by Perrine.png X-19 being engaged by Erica and Gertrud.png X-19 engaged by 501st in force.png X-19 cirtically damaged by 501st.png X-19 Core exposed.png|X-19 Core Exposed X-19 about to be destroyed by Perrine.png X-19 Core destroyed.png|X-19 Core Destroyed X-19 post core destruction.png X-19 destroyed.png Category:Neuroi